The publication DE 20 2008 002 356 U1 describes different embodiments of a compact fan comprising a protective screen assembly of the aforementioned kind. The known compact fan has a front plate with an air passage as the cover part, wherein the passage opening is covered or can be covered with a protective screen as protection against contact with the rotating fan parts. To this end, the protective screen can be snapped to the front plate by means of a clip connection. For this purpose, in a first embodiment, the protective screen has axially projecting detent elements at the outer edge thereof, which can be snapped to detent shoulders of the front plate. The protective screen only engages with the projecting detent elements slightly in the opening area, so that the screen itself clearly projects over the opening plane. The attachment is solely dependent on the resilience of the axially projecting detent elements. As an alternative to this snap-fit embodiment, the protective screen can also be configured integrally with the front plate in another embodiment, and can then also be located approximately in the opening plane.